Background
by Goonlalagoon
Summary: A brief collection of thoughts from a student, lamenting the long shadow cast by Harry Potter over life at Hogwarts


**Slightly random one-shot, inspired by a post on Tumblr ( post/61066249275/ a-moment-of-silence-for-the-poor-students-who-were ) Reviews are wonderful :)**

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I'm going to say something pretty controversial, so consider yourself warned.

I don't like Harry Potter.

It's nothing personal, and sometimes I feel bad about it. Like, he's never actually _done_ anything to me. It would be better if he had.

Thing is, when you're in the same year as Harry Potter (and Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley) – well, you're always from their year, right? Okay, so I'm not actually from the same year, but you see my point? And I've got it almost as bad, because I'm in Ginny's year.

She's my best mate, but I've started trying not to mention her name.

In first year, it was sort of fine. I mean, loads of questions – have you met him? Have you _spoken_ to him? Is he cute? – but nothing too major.

Over the years it got worse, partly because he was getting to have a habit of doing things each year that drew attention (and _OMG you're a Griffindor too, tell me all about it!_) and partly because the name Weasley was getting to be linked to it (_OMG, you're best mates with his best mate's little sister!? Tell me all about him! Come on, you have to know something._)

Second year, the whole place was in terror of Sirius Black, and there were all those worries over Potter's safety (_the poor boy…_)

Third year was the Triwizard Tournament, and even before the maze, that was the worst. The sheer volume of _gossip_, and it was all about Potter. _So, did he put his name in the goblet? Did you see the dragon? Did you get a photo? Oh, wow, he looks really hot. Weasley was his most treasured person? Wow, what's going on _there_? Bet Ginny isn't happy. Yule ball? Get in there girl, get him to ask you! Well of course you're interested! He's Harry Potter!_

Fourth year, and it was still all gossip, but now it was looking for the dirt, and that was worse, in some ways. And then they all found out about the DA, and asked _were you part of it? What was he like as a leader?_ And the only answer I could think of was _he's actually a decent guy_ (be friends with Gin for any length of time, and you get so fed up of hearing about how perfect he is that you lose sight of all good points)

Fifth year, there was so much pity, so many relatives and younger friends and friends at other schools worrying about him, concern and admiration taking the place of pettiness, and it was sickening.

Sixth year…well, he was the hero, and of course, that whole year is shadowed by him.

When I told my sister I was in Griffindor, she asked if I'd sat near Harry at the feast (didn't even ask about the tower, or my year mates)

Told my grandparents I'd taken a liking to Quidditch, and they spent an hour talking about Potter's seeker skills, even before they started extracting information from me (and I promptly decided never to try out)

Told a friend about the Yule Ball, and she just wanted to know about his date, his dance, his dress robes (didn't ask about my date, my first boyfriend, first kiss)

Told my family about the battle, with new scars and nightmares, and heard what a brave boy he was from everyone (and he had been, but the sheer implication that if he hadn't been, I wouldn't have stayed – wouldn't have stayed without that example, that hero – was like bile)

Told a co-worker which year I was in, which house, and first response was "You must have met Harry Potter" (and didn't even go into the fact that I was invited to his wedding, because she wouldn't care that I was there for Ginny, who found me on the train the first day, and we both looked at each other and went "I'm terrified!" at exactly the same moment, because no one cares how we met, because it doesn't involve _him_)

It's not that he's a bad guy. He's nice enough, quiet, but not stuck up. So maybe I don't hate Harry, but I do hate Harry Potter. Because for the seven years I had at Hogwarts? Everything was always about him, and everyone else is just the background.


End file.
